On second thought...

Welcome to 2012, the year we finally get to begin the presidential campaigns for 2016.

The only bright side about 11 more months of political war is that Congress isn't likely to do much real mischief until it's over.

Maybe the Mayans predicted the world would end in 2012 out of sympathy for Americans who have to watch campaign ads.

Actually, the end of the world is supposed to happen next Dec. 21, more than a month after the election. Some New Age believers think the earth will collide with a black hole. Not to worry, though. Congress is forming a new supercommittee to develop a strategy.

Predictions for 2012:

You won't lose 20 pounds

The Rev. Harold Camping, still hoping to forecast the end of the world, will reveal that he's a reincarnated Mayan

A politician will lie

Iran's ruling clerics will voluntarily relinquish power and submit to truly democratic elections.

The Utah Legislature will propose nothing that can be considered nutty. Then it will outlaw the current caucus system for choosing candidates. (Always throw an outrageous one in at the end to get some laughs.)

Nothing warms the heart at Christmas quite like seeing priests and monks brawling at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, now available for your viewing pleasure on YouTube.

As I understand it, priests and monks from the Greek Orthodox and Armenian churches couldn't agree over who should clean what after the Western Christmas celebration in December and before the Orthodox celebration in January. Any parent who has tried to get children to clean the house on Saturday would find this familiar.

"No one was arrested because all those involved were men of God," said Bethlehem police Lt.-Col. Khaled al-Tamimi. Perhaps, but we probably should be glad they weren't with Mary and Joseph when the innkeeper tried to tell them there was no room.

Jay Evensen is the associate editor of the Deseret News editorial page. Follow him on Twitter @jayevensen.